Holiday bazaars, shopping galore

The Vineyard has dusted off the fall foliage to make way for a bright and shiny holiday season. Each town has put in extreme amounts of hard work to make sure that we have winter wonderlands to boost our spirits. Helping the towns to bring smiles to our faces and cheer to the Island, our local storefronts have stepped up to make this a great holiday season.

Accompanying the kickoff of the gifting season, which happened December 1 with the first night of Hanukkah, our shops have designed some amazing store ‘scapes and holiday specials to help make shopping easy this year. Keeping in the spirit are our festive bazaars and fairs, which offer local options for shopping.

Leading the traditional pack is Featherstone’s eighth annual Holiday Gift Show, which is open daily from 12 noon to 4 pm through December 19. There you will find rooms filled with magnificent, artistic gifts. If you choose to shop here, you will be guaranteed that your unique gift will be truly appreciated.

The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury is hosting their Christmas Faire this Saturday starting at 9:30 am. Enjoy a precious shopping experience with jewelry, antiques, and the must-have Christmas wreaths, along with a few surprises. To make sure you have enough energy to keep going, their selection of delicious treats are a must on your menu.

Just down the road at the Agricultural Hall, you will find the warm Winter Farmers Market, also on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 am to 2 pm. Not only will you be able to buy fresh produce for your dinner, you will also find some wonderful homemade gifts. The crafts, like the knitted hats from Island Alpaca, are colorful and warm, while the jams, salsas, and sauces from several vendors will make a great gift basket for any food lover.

The Oak Bluffs Elementary School always hosts one of the most popular holiday bazaars, and money raised from selling vendor space benefits the eighth grade’s class trip to Philadelphia in the spring. They always have a huge selection of crafts and gifts, and this year the event is on Sunday, Dec. 5, from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Jewelry is prevalent along with knitted items, baked goods, candy, and ornaments. This bazaar includes a broad spectrum of special vendors who carry different items each year, as exemplified by the extremely popular Mary Kay Cosmetics line. Stay on your best behavior, because Santa will be there to pose for pictures with all the good little boys and girls.

Another great shopping option is thanks to the Tisbury Business Association. They have brought back their wildly popular Twilight Thursdays, where you can shop at your leisure until as late as 7 pm on Thursdays, Dec. 2 and 9. Most stores are participating, so get out there and get your list done early this year.

A reminder for all, keep your schedule open for next weekend as it the annual Christmas in Edgartown celebration. There will be lots of happenings, events, and shopping opportunities. Until then, shop local this holiday season and enjoy all our fabulous Island has to offer.